Shocking Sharks!

A WebQuest Designed for Grade 3 Students - Science

by

Laurie Gomes and Kim Jacobs

Teacher Information

Introduction

Sharks!

They shock and frighten us, yet no other creatures have the power to awaken our curiosity in such a dramatic way. How do sharks interact with other living creatures? What makes sharks so interesting? Why are some sharks terrifying?

The Task

You and your partner have been hired by Mystic Aquarium to study a shark. The director of the aquarium is interested in adding new sharks to the aquarium's collection. You must convince the director to add your shark to the aquarium's exhibit. Only the most interesting or terrifying sharks will be chosen. Your task will be to research your assigned shark using the web sites in the Resources section. You will have a shark profile sheet to help guide you in your research. Record the information that will help you to decide if your shark is interesting or terrifying. Finally, you and your partner will create a PowerPoint presentation of your recommendation.

The Process

Step 1: Attend the staff meeting breakfast with the Mystic Aquarium director to get your assigned shark and learn who your partner will be.

Step 2: Using the web sites listed in the Resources section, complete your shark profile sheet.

Step 3: Create a storyboard that outlines your PowerPoint presentation.

Step 4: Attend the "How to make a PowerPoint" workshop with the technology coordinator of the aquarium or your teacher.

Step 5: Work with your partner to create the PowerPoint presentation with your information and recommendation. The presentation should include the reasons why your shark is interesting or terrifying.

Step 6: Present your slide show to fellow researchers, the director of the aquarium, and other important officials.

Resources

Be careful, you are in shark infested waters!

Shark facts

Kidzone

National Geographic Shark Surfari!

Shark School

Sea World

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Books

Sharks by Jonathan Sheikh-Miller

Sand Tiger Shark by Carol Carrick

The Mako Shark by Brad Burnham

Sharks: Challengers of the Deep by Mary M. Cerullo

Surprising Sharks by Nicola Davies

The Best Book of Sharks by Claire Llewellyn

An Album of Sharks by Tom McGowen

Terror Below! True Shark Stories by Dana del Prado

Video

Shark by Eyewitness Video

Evaluation

You will be evaluated on the following:

Did you cooperate well with your partner?

Did you give at least 5 convincing facts why your shark should be included in the new aquarium shark collection?

Is your presentation organized and appealing to your audience?

 

Your teacher will use a rubric to grade your project.

Conclusion

In your research you have found convincing facts to support your recommendation of interesting and terrifying sharks. You have learned that there are many different kinds of sharks with interesting and terrifying characteristics. Because of your outstanding presentations, the aquarium director now has good information on which to base her decision about adding more sharks to the collection.

Teacher Information

State of Connecticut Curricular Frameworks - Science

Content Standard 3: Living things and their environments

Learning goal: Students will understand that all organisms in the biosphere are linked to each other and to their physical environments by the transfer and transformation of matter and energy.

Objectives:

• explain how organisms interact with other organisms in different environments (e.g., mutualism, parasitism, competition); and
• explain that some source of energy is needed for all organisms to stay alive and grow.

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Adapted from

Pat Dobson and Laura Carlson WebQuest

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/sessions/sharks

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